Battle of Cangting

The Battle of Cangting occurred from May to June 201 AD when Cao Cao and his army pursued Yuan Shao after his defeat at the Battle of Guandu. Cangting was the final clash between the warlords before Yuan Shao died.

Background
In 200 AD, Cao Cao's 150,000-strong army decisively defeated Yuan Shao's 700,000-strong army at the Battle of Guandu, smiting hard at the retreating army and pursuing it into Ji Province. Yuan Shao, who had abandoned all of his personal belongings at Guandu, met his general Jiang Yiqu at Liyang and, with his aid, brought together a massive army from supporters who discovered that their old lord was alive. Yuan Shao praised Tian Feng, regretting how he had not listened to his advice at the battle; a jealous Peng Ji told Yuan Shao that Tian Feng took pleasure at knowing that he had been right, and an angry Yuan Shao had Tian Feng executed. Soon, Yuan Shao was joined by 60,000 Qing Province troops under his son Yuan Tan, 50,000 troops from You Province under Yuan Xi, and 50,000 troops from Bing Province under Gao Gan.

Battle
Cao Cao and his victorious army drew up their battle lines along the Yangtze River, facing Yuan Shao's 230,000 troops. Yuan Shao's son Yuan Shang challenged Xu Huang's sub-officer Shi Huan to a duel and killed him with an arrow to the left eye, and Yuan Shao then ordered for his entire army to thunder forward. The first clash was inconclusive, so Cao Cao had his generals set a series of ambushes while undertaking a feigned retreat. Xu Chu killed ten of Yuan Shao's generals and drove his army into confusion, and the other generals under Cao Cao attacked Yuan Shao's army from multiple sides, slaughtering them. The corpses of Yuan Shao's soldiers filled the countryside and blood filled the water courses, and Yuan Xi and Gao Gan were wounded by arrows during Yuan Shao's long retreat.

Aftermath
Yuan Shao gathered his sons into his arms and wept as he suffered a bout of tuberculosis and blood loss. He made his sons swear to return to their territories and fight Cao Cao until the end, and he sent Xin Ping and Guo Tu to accompany Yuan Tan to Qingzhou, sent Yuan Xi to You Province, and sent Gao Gan to Bing Province. Yuan Shao and Yuan Shang then headed to Ji Province, and Cao Cao decided to eventually lay siege to Jizhou.